If it were truly a race to win the starting running back job with the Broncos, Ronnie Hillman would win by two strides over Montee Ball, Knowshon Moreno and the rest of the field. Hillman is fast. But, as a rookie a year ago, he too often looked like a kid among men in the NFL. And no wonder. He didn’t celebrate his 21st birthday until last September. His body was not mature.

So the question is: After adding 15 pounds of muscle, is Hillman ready to carry a bigger load in Denver? Can he be more than a change-of-pace back? And if Hillman can be trusted to carry the football 15 times a game, does that push veteran Willis McGahee out the door at Dove Valley? Listen to Lance Britton of Mile High Sports Radio and I discuss it here:

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I was not sold on Hillman as a rookie, but am anxious to see if he can improve significantly with maturity in his second pro season. How many yards do you expect Hillman to gain in 2013? 300 yards? 500? 750? More?

Kick it with Kiz and Peter Burns by joining the discussion on Mile High Sports Radio Monday through Friday from 7-9 a.m. At 93.7 FM and 1510 AM.

Peter Burns is a radio show host for Fox Sports Radio and Mile High Sports Radio in Denver. He is a former collegiate athlete and grew up in Baton Rouge, La. A self-proclaimed fan-analyst, Peter has covered every major sport for over a decade, including four NBA Championships with the San Antonio Spurs.